Q. The guidance on partial withdrawals from the Thrift Savings Plan is somewhat confusing if you have both a traditional and Roth portion. It says that withdrawals will be prorated between the two. However, is it possible to solely roll over the Roth portion into another Roth and still leave the entire traditional portion in tact? Or, since these are two distinct types of investments, can the Roth be rolled over into a Roth and the traditional be rolled over into a traditional in amounts, say $5,000 of one and $10,000, even if the balances are not in this same 1:2 ratio?…
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Q. So if I follow all the rules related to my current Thrift Savings Plan account, and I begin making systematic withdrawals under the annuity factor method at age 55: 1. Can I contribute to my new employer’s 401(k) while drawing from my TSP? (I may want to take a downscaled job and subsidize the lower income with my TSP distributions.) 2. Are any Internal Revenue Service restrictions in place regarding my Roth IRA because I am taking distributions from my 401(k) at age 55? A. Yes, you may contribute to a 401(k) while taking distributions from your TSP account,…
Q. I have been contributing to my traditional Thrift Savings Plan for the past 3½ years and have accumulated about $7,000. With the introduction of Roth TSP, I was wondering if I should stop contributing to my traditional TSP and start a Roth TSP. I plan on being in a higher tax bracket when I retire, and I also have a Roth IRA. A. If you’re confident that your tax rate will be higher on the contributions later than it is now, you should contribute the Roth TSP first.
Q. If I contribute $40,000 to my Roth TSP account, it grows to $60,000 and I subsequently leave government service and roll that Roth TSP into a Roth IRA, wouldn’t I be able to immediately withdraw up to $40,000 without tax or penalty, even though I’m less than 59½ and have not had either account for more than five years? A. Yes, it is possible to withdraw your contributions at any time without tax or penalty.
Q. Does section 902 in HR 8 (American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012), which states that “Amounts in applicable retirement plans may be transferred to designated Roth accounts without distribution,” apply to the Thrift Savings Plan? A. You may transfer amounts from other employer-sponsored Roth retirement plans into the TSP. This does not apply to Roth IRAs, however.
Q. I am 47 and hope to retire at my minimum retirement age in nine years. I contribute to both my traditional Thrift Savings Plan and Roth TSP. A publication I read, “Important Tax Information about Payments from Your TSP Account,” says you will not have to pay taxes for Roth contributions if you follow a two-step rule: Hold for five years + age 59½. But I think it also says that if I transfer my Roth TSP out of the TSP when I retire, the monies will not be subject to taxes. Is this correct? Can I only roll over…
Q. I am 66 years old and plan to retire in 2014, at which time I would transfer (convert) my Voluntary Contributions Program monies directly into a newly created Roth IRA. However, I have an existing (non-TSP) Traditional (substantial) IRA (never taxed), and know the Internal Revenue Service will aggregate my Traditional IRA balance for purposes of determining the taxability of this VCP-to-Roth conversion. If, prior to retirement, I (in 2013) transfer (direct rollover) my Traditional IRA into my existing Thrift Savings Plan account, will those monies now be considered 401(a), and therefore, making my subsequent VCP-to-Roth conversion occur with…
Q. I have a non-401(k) Roth IRA. Why can’t I roll it over to a TSP Roth IRA? Both are after taxes. A. The rules are the rules.
Q. On March 11, you wrote a response to a gentleman who was retiring from the Postal Service and had a question about moving his Thrift Savings Program to a civilian account. In your response you wrote, “You are not required to roll over your TSP account and may continue it for life. You should do everything you can to keep your money in the TSP for as long as possible, since it is superior to any other investment account you will find. Your TSP should be the last account you tap for retirement income.” That response raised a few…
Q. I am over 50, my wife (unemployed) is under 49. In 2013, if I contribute the maximum amount (including catch-up) of $23,000 to my Roth TSP and traditional Thrift Savings Plan, can I also contribute the maximum of $6,000 to a Roth IRA or traditional IRA for a total contribution of $29,000? Can I also contribute the maximum of $5,000 for my wife into a Roth IRA or traditional IRA for a total contribution of $34,000, assuming that I fall within the adjusted gross income limits as addressed by the Internal Revenue Service? If there are limitations on contributing to a…